This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-333774, filed Oct. 31, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a remote control device for remotely controlling an engine of a small vessel or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a small vessel or the like, control devices for controlling a propellant engine, steering mechanism, etc. are fixed mainly in a cockpit. In some cases, the vessel is furnished with a remote control device that can be used to control the engine or the like in any other place than the cockpit, depending on the situations. In a conventional remote control device for small vessel, dial-type knobs for starboard and port engines, a dial-type steering knob, etc., for example, are arranged flush with one another on an elongate housing.
In the conventional remote control device for small vessel described above, the direction of operation of each knob is not always coincident with the direction in which the vessel actually moves. Further, the location of each knob has no special significance. Accordingly, it is hard for an inexperienced steersman intuitively to judge the moving direction of the vessel when he/she operates the knobs. Thus, use of the remote control device may be bewildering.
Based on these circumstances, the object of the present invention is to provide a remote control device for small vessel, capable of easily precisely controlling a vessel without requiring any veteran skill.
A remote control device according to the present invention comprises a portable housing capable of being held by a steersman, a control lever attached to the housing and rockable back and forth, a displacement sensor for engine control set in the housing and adapted to deliver a forward-control signal for an engine when the control lever is rocked to the front side and to deliver a reverse-control signal for the engine when the control lever is rocked to the rear side, and a locking mechanism capable of holding the control lever in a neutral position. This remote control device can be operated with ease, since the direction of operation of the control lever and the moving direction of a vessel are associated with each other. Thus, the vessel can be steered easily and safely.
In the case where the remote control device of the invention is applied to a vessel that is furnished with propellant engines on the port and starboard sides, individually, it is advisable to provide the left-hand portion of the housing with a control lever for controlling a port engine and provide the right-hand portion of the housing with a control lever for controlling a starboard engine. According to this arrangement, the port and starboard engines can be controlled independently of each other by means of the left- and right-hand control levers. Thus, the controlled engine, left- or right-hand, and the direction in which the vessel moves can be judged with ease. Only one control lever is needed in the case where the remote control device of the invention is applied to a vessel that is furnished with only one engine.
Preferably, the remote control device of the invention may further comprise a steering knob, provided on the upper surface of the housing and movable from side to side, and a displacement sensor for steering, set in the housing and adapted to deliver a control signal for steering the vessel to the port side to a steering mechanism when the steering knob is moved to the left and to deliver a control signal for steering the vessel to the starboard side to the steering mechanism when the steering knob is moved to the right. According to this arrangement, the vessel can be steered to the port side when the steering knob on the upper surface of the housing is moved to the left. The vessel can be steered to the starboard side when the steering knob is moved to the right. Thus, the relationship between the direction of operation of the steering knob and the moving direction of the vessel can be grasped with ease.
Preferably, moreover, the remote control device of the invention may further comprise a thruster knob, provided on the upper surface of the housing and movable from side to side, and a displacement sensor for thruster, set in the housing and adapted to deliver a control signal for moving the body of the vessel to the port side to a side thruster when the thruster knob is moved to the left and to deliver a control signal for moving the vessel body to the starboard side to the side thruster when the thruster knob is moved to the right. According to this arrangement, the vessel body can be moved to the port side when the thruster knob on the upper surface of the housing is moved to the left. The vessel body can be steered to the starboard side when the thruster knob is moved to the right. Thus, the relationship between the direction of operation of the thruster knob and the moving direction of the vessel can be grasped with ease.
Preferably, furthermore, the remote control device of the invention may further comprise a selector switch for switching between the remote control device and a main control device fixed to the body of the vessel and indicator means such as an indicator lamp for indicating the selected control device. According to this arrangement, the switching of the control means from the main control device over to the remote control device can be securely noticed by means of the indicator means on the operating-hand side.
Preferably, moreover, the portable housing may be provided with an emergency stop switch for stopping the operation of the engine in case of emergency. According to this arrangement, the emergency stop switch is activated if an emergency such as a fall in water occurs while the remote control device is being operated. If this is done, the engine operation can be stopped without delay, so that the safety is further improved.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.